Making His Way eBook

TWO SCHOOL FRIENDS

Two boys were walking in the campus of the Bridgeville
Academy. They were apparently of about the same
age—­somewhere from fifteen to sixteen—­but
there was a considerable difference in their attire.

Herbert Grant was neatly but coarsely dressed, and
his shoes were of cowhide, but his face indicated
a frank, sincere nature, and was expressive of intelligence.

His companion was dressed in a suit of fine cloth,
his linen was of the finest, his shoes were calfskin,
and he had the indefinable air of a boy who had been
reared in luxury.

He had not the broad, open face of his friend—­for
the two boys were close friends—­but his
features were finely chiseled, indicating a share
of pride, and a bold, self-reliant nature.

He, too, was an attractive boy, and in spite of his
pride possessed a warm, affectionate heart and sterling
qualities, likely to endear him to those who could
read and understand him.

His name was Frank Courtney, and he is the hero of
my story.

“Have you written your Latin exercises, Frank?”
asked Herbert.

“Yes; I finished them an hour ago.”

“I was going to ask you to write them with me.
It is pleasanter to study in company.”

“Provided you have the right sort of company,”
rejoined Frank.

“Am I the right sort of company?” inquired
Herbert, with a smile.

“You hardly need to ask that, Herbert.
Are we not always together? If I did not like
your company, I should not seek it so persistently.
I don’t care to boast, but I have plenty of
offers of companionship which I don’t care to
accept. There is Bob Stickney, for instance, who
is always inviting me to his room; but you know what
he is—­a lazy fellow, who cares more to
have a good time than to study. Then there is
James Cameron, a conceited, empty-headed fellow, who
is very disagreeable to me.”

“You don’t mention your stepbrother, Mark
Manning.”

“For two reasons—­he doesn’t
care for my company, and of all the boys I dislike
him the most.”

“I don’t like him myself. But why
do you dislike him so much?”

“Because he is a sneak—­a crafty,
deceitful fellow, always scheming for his own interest.
He hates me, but he doesn’t dare to show it.
His father is my mother’s husband, but the property
is hers, and will be mine. He thinks he may some
day be dependent on me, and he conceals his dislike
in order to stand the better chance by and by.
Heaven grant that it may be long before my dear mother
is called away!”

“How did she happen to marry again, Frank?”

“I can hardly tell. It was a great grief
to me. Mr. Manning was a penniless lawyer, who
ingratiated himself with my mother, and persecuted
her till she consented to marry him. He is very
soft-spoken, and very plausible, and he managed to
make mother—­who has been an invalid for
years—­think that it would be the best thing
for her to delegate her cares to him, and provide
me with a second father.”